Beet-topping machine



Feb. 13, 1923.

A. M. RICKS BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filed Ju'ne l2 1920 4- sheets-sheet l 9 2 .4 t A. 6 ,E 4 4. A S l n e .n s .At

m, mw I Q @mw \N LQ www M Jm wf ATM will Ld 9J 2 9 l 3, nl im o F Feb. 13, 1923.

1,445,441@ A. M. RICKS BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filed' June 12, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet z l? 4f Feb. 113, 1923.

1,445,449 A. M. RlcKs BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filed June l2, 1 9 O /l sheets-showl 4 Patented heh. i3, 1323.

BEET-TOPPING MCHKINE.

application med June 12, 1920. semi no. 382,689.

To all 107mm t may concern: Y

Be it known that L rinvii M. Rions, a citi- Zen ot the United States, residingat Los ngelesin the county of Los Angeles, State ot California, have invented new and useful improvements in Beetlllopping Machines'. ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for topping beets,or the like, and it is an object ot the present invention to provide a machine of this Character which will operate effectively, efficiently and uniformly. j

The subject of'this application is particu# larly that ofthe beet `topping means hereinat'ter described, the beet diggingl means, and the beet handling means which l hereinafter describe, being the subject matter of my co pending application entitled Beet digging and conyeying machine, tiled June 1920', Serial No. 392,053, wherein they are fully set forth and are claimed.

Amongthe features oit the invention may be mentioned the cutters provided tor cutting the tops from the beets, the lingers provided for engaging and moving the beets while they are being` cut, the general" arrangement and combinations of parts, etc.

The various objectsand features ot the invention will be best and more 'fully under'- stood from theV v'following description ot a typical preferred form of the invention throughout which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which: j

Fig'. 1 is aside elevation ot' my improved machine showing it in its raised position;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same beingl a view taken as indicated by line 2 2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation ot the operating portion of the machine showing it in its down or operating position; Fig. 4 is a reducedsectional view' taken as indicated by line 4 4 on Fig. 8 showing ythe various driving connections; Fig'. 5 is a reduced sectional view taken as indicated by line 5 5 on Fig 3; Fig. G is a plan View ot the upper or rear parts shown in Fig. 3 Figa T is an enlarged sectional view taken as indicatedV by line 7 7 on Fig. 3, showing the topping knives; F ig. 8 is an enlarged rear end view of the topping mechanism as indicated by line 8 8-011 Fig. 3; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional View taken as indicated by lineQ-.Q on Fig. 1.

For simplicity and sake of clearness the leaves or 'Foliage Aof the beets will he termed tops while the-bodies will be termed beets.

I ln the drawings l: show a suitablemain trame l0 sujiported at its forward end by a pair of wheels i2 andA at its rear end by a pair ot' wheels 11. ln the specific form ot' construction herein set Yforth the machine is arranged to be propelled bv `an vengine 29 through the rear wheels 11..'J The engine 29, which is jjneterably an ordinari.' internal combustionengine mounted on trame 10. is connected with the 'wl'ieels 1l throughl a i'iransmission. or changesspeed mechanism. 9a and a differential mechanism 29b,such as is common in automobile construction. A.

suitable clutch 2Q is arranged between the engine and the transmission sothat themachine can be conveniently controlled. rEhe shaft 3() which extends trom the differenti al mechanism has drive pinions 31 mounted on it to'engage internal gears 32 arranged Within the rims oi1T wheels l1..` l

lWithin the main traine 10 is mounted a sub-'Frame 13 which carries beet digging, conveying'. and topping mechanisms.LV This sub-name 13 is pivotally connected at its rear end to the main 'iframe l() by a horizontal transverse shaft la, which extends across the main frame 10 and through the subti'ame 13. rPhe shaft 1li is rotatably carried between main traine members 15. and eX- tends through hangers, or hearings, mounted on the sub-trame 13. By this construction the sub-trame 13 is l\f'ertically adjustable. that is, it may he swung; or adjusted about the shaft 14 as an an'. I For adjustingl the sub-frame 13 racks 16ers mounted on the forward end of sub-trame 13 to extend upwardly and en e pinions 1T mounted on a horizontal transverse sha'tt 15S. The shaft 18 (is carried in suitable hearings 13 and has a hand wheel 19 mounted on one oit its ends Vin order that it may be conveniently rotated by hand. It will be readily understood how rotation ot shaft 1S will cause lowering` or raising' ot racks 19 through pinions 17. To aliioid a locking means 'tor this adjustingarrangement pawls 2() are mounted on shalt 2l and are arranged to normally be held in engagement with pinions 1T by springs 22. To release the locking. mechanism pawls`20 are released ltrom pinions 17 by pressure on their rear ends.

The sub-frame 13, as before stated, carries beet digging, conveying and topping mechanisms. The heet digging mechanism .conrprises, generally, a soil engaging and disturbing member 113 adjustably mounted on the main frame 10, and a pair of bits 124 mounted on the forward part of the frame 13 and adapted to cooperate withsaid member 113 to pull `and lift the beets. The conveyino` mechanism extends from thebits rearwardly to the topping mechanism, arranged at the rear of the subdrame. and com,- prises, generally, a first conveyer mechanism which extends fromthe bits to a second conveyor extending from the main conveyer to the topping mechanism. The entire beet handling mechanism is arranged so that it is .compact and so that the bits 124 can be lowered to the ground, by lowering subframe 13 in themanner above set forth, so that they will engage and pick up the tops of the beets. In the operation of the machine the variouselements and mechanisms above referred to co-operate in a manner which makes the machine4 positive,` accurate, and efficient in its operation.

When the tops reach a pre-determined point nearthe upper or inner ends of the conveyer rolls 28 they are transferred from the first conveying mechanism to conveying chains 2li. To transfer the beets, from the first conveye'r mechanism to the conveyer chains 24, without allowing them to drop, a guide finger 10 is arranged to extend partially between the conveyer rolls 23 from their undersides. The finger 10 is arranged a little to one side so that it will not interfere with the advancing lingers Vand is arranged t-o engage the top portions of the beets to prevent further upward movement of the beets and. thereby cause the tops to be withdrawn from between the conveyer rolls 28. It is preferred that the ringer 10n be somewhat curved, as shown in thefdraw ings', so'that the tops will be gradually withdrawn from the rolls 28. In practice when the machine isoperating the conveyer rolls 23 are at an angle ot about 45 degrees rela-- tive to the ground while the guide finger 10a is arranged to be substantially horizontal. The arrangement ot conveyer rolls and the guide finger and the shape of the guide linger cause the tops to be removed from the rolls 23 gradually rather than suddenly. This is' import-ant in that it prevents the tops Jfrom being torn or stripped from the beets and prevents jarring or sudden shocksthatA might cause the beets to be dislodged from the machine. The `guide linger 10 may be mounted on the sub-frame :iin any suitable manner. For instance, it may be formed witlr arms 10b which are secured to a horizontal frame member 91, arranged to extend rearwardly from the braces 66, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. v I

The conveyer chains 24, which receive the tops from the guide linfrer 10, are arranged horizontally and their or "ard portions are sufficiently close to the conveyer rolls 23 that the tops are still in engagement with, or gripped by, the conveyer rolls 23 when they are caught by the chains 24. The fact that the tops are not completely removed from the conveyer rolls' 23 before they are caught by the chains prevents them from being dropped duringl the transfer from the rolls to the chains. Each of the conveyer chains 2st is carried by a sprocket 24a, a sprocket 24th, an-d a sprocket 24. The sprockets 24h are mounted on vertical driven shafts 9i while the sprockets 24e@ and 24U are mounted on vertical shafts 99 and 94 respectively. The shafts 94 arey at the sides of the machine, or at the sides of the sub-trame 13, in order that they may extend from the upper portion of the sub-'traine to the lower portion, where the topping mechanism is arranged, without interfering with the con` veyer rolls 23. The several sprockets which carry the chains 24 are arranged so that the chains have parallel rearwardly moving portions arranged together to grip the tops and carry them rearwardly. -Shafts 94 are rotated in opposite directions and at the same speed so as to causev the parallel`portions of chains 24e to both move.rearwardlyat the'same speed. It will be readily understood how tops, delivered to the chains 2li from conveyer rolls 28 by guidelinger 10il are firmly held, or gripped, between the chains 24 and are advanced or movedrearwardly carrying with them the beets.

The chains 24 in carrying the beets rearwardly carry them into engagement with cutters or knives 25, arranged close under the chains24k'an-d thereby cause the beets to be cut or removed from the tops. In the particular form of mechanism herein shown the knives 25 are in the form of disks and are mounted on vertical shafts 102i which are driven from shafts 99 througgjh chalns 102 ruiming over sprockets 201 and 202 mounted on the shafts 99 and 104A respectively.

The .various parts `in connection with the drives for the knives are so proportioned that the peripheral speed ot the knives is a little faster than the speed of the chains 2li. The knives or cutters 25 are preferably suiiiciently large to slightly overlap thereby causing the tops to be positively and cleanly cut from the beets. The knives 25 are mounted on shafts 10st so as to be vertically adjustable thereby making it possiblel to set them in various positions so that they will cut the tops from the beet at the desired points.

To hold the beets as well as the tops while the tops are being cut fingers 112L are arranged to extend radially from the shafts 104 below the knives 25 to engage the beets. The fingers 11a upon engaging' 4the beets positively Lmove them rearwardly and brace them while the tops are being cut. The .iin-- gers 11n are mounted on collars 11" adjustlia/raalte ably mounted on the lower ends of shafts 104.

When the beets have been cut from the tops the beets drop onto a conveyer 106 and are carried out of the machine. rThe conveyer 106 may comprise an endless belt and may be driven in any suitable manner. For instance, it may be driven by bevel gear 107, mounted on the lower' end of one of the driven shafts 94, engaging bevel r 100, mounted on the shaft 109 over which the belt runs. rEhe tops after beingcut from the beets are carried by the chains bcyond the knives aud are released when the chain starts to pass around the sprocket 24a. The tops drop into a box 110 ha ving a hinged bottom 11.1 supported by a suitable spring; 112. llhen the weight of tops in box 110 su'iiicient to overcome the tension of spring` 112 the bottom bo); 111 drops or swings downwardly allowing' the tops to fall to the ground in piles.

Having set forth the various parts and mechanisms which operate,` or act upon. the beets from the' time that they are removed from the ground until they are topped and removed from the machine, l will now proceed to set forth a form of drive mechanism that may be employed to operate, or drive, the above mechanisms and parts. For-instance, as shown in the machine her-ein. diss closed, the entire mechanism may be operated from shaft throuu'h a chain 34 which runs over a sprocket ifmounted on shaft 30 and a sprocket 35 mounted on shaft 10. The shaft 36 is a horizontal transverse shaft mounted on main frame 10 and carries a sprocket 38 which carries a chain 539 ar ranged on a sprocket 40 mounted on shaft 14. This manner of driving,- the shaft 14 from the shaft 80 causes it to rotate in a couliter-clockwise direction. as indicated by the arrows througliout the drawings. The shaft 14 has mounted on it two oppositelyv faced bevel gears 85 which mesh with and drive bevel gears 86 mounted on shafts 87 which are carried in suitable bearings 28a. rlhe arrangement of bevel `p ears 85 and 8G fauses the shafts 87 to rotate in opposite. directions, as indicated bythe arrows in the. drawings. Sprockets 88 are mounted on the shafts 87 to carry and drive chains 89 4l, mounted on shaft 14, and sprocket 43,

mounted on shaft 44 rl`he shaft 44 has mounted on it a` gear 4T which meshes witi and drives a gear 48 on a shaft 49. rlfhe gear connection between the shaft and shaft 49 causes the shaft 49 to rotate in the proper direction and in a direction opposite to that in which shaft 44 rotates. .l sprocket 50 is mounted on shaft 49 and carries a chain 51 which runs over a sprocket 52 mounted on shaft' thereby causing' shaft 53 to rotate in the saine direction as shaft 49. The shaft 77, on which is mounted sprocket 74 which carries chain 72, is driven from shaft 53 through a chain 88 carried on a sprocket 84 mounted on shaft 5o and a sprocket mounted on shaft 77, as clearly shown in Fig'. 5 of the drawings. t

'llo drive the chain 59 on which the liugers G0 are mounted a shaft is rotated from shaft 53 througlrchain 56 which runs over sprocket mounted on shaft 53, and sprocket 57, mounted on shaft 58. The shaft 58 drives shaft 61,0n which is mounted sprocket 60a. through bevel gears 70 and 71 mounted on the shaft 58 and shaft G1 respectively.

The shafts 94. which drive conveyer chains 24, knives 25, and the conveyor 100.. are driven from shaft 77 through bevel gears 205 and 206 mounted ou shafts 77 and. 94 respectively. lt will be noted from the above description that the entire beet handling mecl'ianism is driven from,.or through, shaft 14. Ey thus driving` the enti re mechanism through shaft 14 and by arranging the sub-frame 13 to be pivotally mounted on shaft 14, the sub-frame can be adjusted or swungto any desired position without in any way affecting or changing any of the drives or drive mechanism.

Guide or support plates Q10 are provided so to prevent the chains 24 from spia-inline` which would result in the beets falling' from the machine. Plates 9.10 are arranged parallel to the chains Q4.

Having` described a preferred form of my invention. I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described a cutter, means for holding beets by their tops and moving them into engagement with the cutter, means for engaging` the bodies of the beets and co-operating with the first mentioned means in moving the beets while they are in engagement with the cutter, and an adjustable mountingfor the means for engaging the bodies of the beets whereby it can be adjusted relative to the other parts.

2. In a machine of the character described, a pair of rotating cutters, a conveyer arranged to hold beets by their tops and move them into engagement with the cutters, and fingers moved to engage the bodies of the beets and co-operate with the conveyer in moving the beets while they are in engagement with the cutter.

In a machine of the character described, a pair of overlapping rotating cutters,` a pair of chains having parallel portions moving in the same direction and adapted tocarry beets by their tops into engagement with the cutters, and fingers operated with the cutters to engage the bodies of the beets and co-operate with the chains in moving the beets While they are in ei'igagement with the cutters.

4. In a machine of the character described two oppositely rotating shafts, twocutters one mounted on each shaft, conveying means adapted to hold beets by their tops and move them into engagement with the cutters, and fingers arranged on one of the shafts to engage the bodies of the beets and cobperate with tliecon-vevii'ig `means in moving the beets While they areiin engagement with the cutters. y

5. In kcombination `with a beet conveying apparatus, means for holding beets by their tops and carrying them, means for removing the beets from the conveying apparatus and directing them to the holding and carrying means, a cutter arranged to engage the beets While they are being held and carried by their tops, and means for engaging the bodies of the beets and co-operating with the holding and carrying means in moving the beets While they are in engagement with the cutter.

6.` In combination with a beet topping cutter mounted on a rotating shaft, lingers mounted on the shaft to engage the beets while they are in engagement with the ter. y i

Y. In combination with a beet topping eutter adjustably mounted on a rotating shaft, lingers adjustably mounted on the shaft to be moved into engagement With the beets While they are in 'engagement With the cutter. f

8. In a machine of the character described, comprising beet conveying apparatus, two

parallel oppositely rotating shafts, cutters y.

adjustably mount-ed on the shafts to overlap, conveyer chains `having parallel adjacent portions moving together and in the same direction and adapted to hold and carry beets by their tops so that they are lcut by the critters, means for guidingthe parallel portions of the chains, means for transferring the beets from the conveying apparatus to the chains, and fingers adjustably mounted on the shafts to enga-ge the bodies of the beets and co-operate with the chains in moving thevbeets While they are in engagement with the critters.

9. In a machine of ythe character described, a pair of overlapping rotating cutters, a chain conveyer adapted to carry beets by their tops into engagement with the cutters. and fingers operating to engage and move the beets while they are at the cutters.

l0. In. a machine of the character described tWo oppositely rotating shafts, tivo cutters one mounted on each shaft, conveying means adapted to hold beets by their tops and move them into engagement With the cutters, and lingers arranged on each of the shafts to engage the bodies of the beets and coi-operate with the conveying means in moving the beets While they are in engagement with the cutters.

l1. In a machine ofthe 'character de,- scribed, two rotating shafts, cutters mounted on the shafts'to cooperate in topping beets, and lingers extending from one of the shafts to engage beets While at the cutters.

12. In a machine of the character de scribed, means for holding and moving beets by their tops, two rotating shafts, cutters mounted on the shafts to overlap and cooperate to top beets held by said means, and lingers extending radially from said shafts to engage the beets While at their cutters.

In Witness that I 'claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this th. day of June 1920.

ALVA M. HICKS. v

Witness:

VIRGINIA BEIuNGnn. 

